Anyone who's read my posts knows that I struggle with photography. It's not that I can't take a good photo. I've shot photos for many magazines, like this one:

 

 

Part of my problem with photographing bass is that I don't want the bass to be out of the water long. So, a lip and grip is my quickest way to return the bass to the water:

 

 

The plus of a lip and grip is you can see where I caught the bass. The disadvantage is there's no perspective, no Coke can or quarter beside the bass to give you an idea of its size. 

 

There's the ever popular full arm:

 

 

The plus is the bass looks big. The minus is that the bass looks bigger than it is. The woman holding it is 5' 10". The bass appears to stretch from the top of her head to her waist, an impossibly long smallmouth

 

Then there's the half-arm, which only half inflates the size of the bass:

 

 

There's the bump board photo, which has the advantage of showing you exactly how long the bass is:

 

 

There are two disadvantages. One is that it's an ugly photo. The other is the bass often flop, so I get a blurry photo of a flopping bass or I try again and delay returning the bass to the water. My preferred photo is when a competent partner takes my pic and I jam my arm behind my head:

 

 

I've observed that a few of us favor sticking our arms behind our heads to place the bass right beside our head for accurate perspective, using our heads as Coke cans or quarters. 

 

More than once, well-meaning Bass Resource members have suggested that I mount a camera in my canoe to achieve the effect immediately above, but I'm at the limit of what I can carry through the woods and loading my canoe is already complicated enough. 

 

I'm thinking of reverting to bump board photos, interspersed with pond shots to show where I'm catching them. At least you guys will have a clear idea of the size of the bass I'm catching. I just hope that most of them lay still. 

 

 

I feel your pain. I just go with it on any normal fish, but if it’s a “special” fish (bigger/smaller than normal, different markings, etc), then I will try to get something in the shot for perspective. Like these monsters:

 

There's always the use of " props"😃

I,m with you @Swamp Girl, It is so hot that if I struggle at all getting the fish unhooked, there is no time for a photo, back in the water they go.

I've written some for Gray's Sporting Journal and whereas I'm barely a good enough writer to occasionally write for them, I'm nowhere a good enough photographer to shoot for them. Gray's favors unusual perspectives. Like this:

 

 

And this:

 

 

Note how the fly reel is working like a Coke can or quarter. 

 

And this:

 

 

And this:

 

And this:

 

 

Whereas I appreciate such pretty pics, I fear the fish pay the price. I'm guessing MANY photos are taken to obtain a magazine-worthy shot.

This is the best way to photograph fish

 

 

These fish truly paid the price 

Russ, that's actually a good photo and far better than many of the fuzzy photos I post at Bass Resource. Trying to photograph a wiggling bass in the foggy dark at 4:30 a.m. has me failing and failing again. 

 

We’re fortunate to live in a time when almost everyone carries a high-quality camera in their pocket nearly all the time. I don’t have photos of my personal best largemouth or smallmouth—they were caught back in the film days. The smallmouth was caught during a tournament, and although some pictures were taken of me holding it, I never got a copy. I also remember catching a big catfish as a kid while fishing with my grandfather. The camera had no film, so we took the fish to a neighbor’s house to get a photo.

  I use a lure hanging from the lip and my beard for size reference. For holding my phone, I just use the little kickstand on the case.

I take a camera and set the timer for ten seconds. The camera has a little tripod or i just lay it on a rock, tacklebox...

The only time I photograph a catch is on a board while in a tournament. I hate handling, and having the fish out of water any longer than necessary.

 

 

 

 

@Swamp Girl , @GreenPig and @scaleface those are some nice poses!

@Swamp Girl

 

Katie

Unless I’m missing something, I don’t see the problem as I never thought you “Struggle with photography”

 

Nobody posts more pictures than you and they all look good to me. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do similar to @scaleface. I set up a little phone tripod as soon as my boat is floating. My phone goes in there right away, and when I catch a worthy fish, it takes 5 seconds to open the phones camera and set a 3 second timer. Perfect system for fishing alone. 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

This is the best way to photograph fish

 

 

These fish truly paid the price 

 

Say what? All that fried stuff would clog up my arteries! Nah, this is HOW to photograph fish- halfway to nyotaimori- which if I posted THAT would break a rule or something.

 

 

SwampGirl you are doing just fine with your photos. Keep 'em coming!

 

I gave up photographing my fish years ago. Can't even recall last time I took a fish photo was for someone else of their fish. I fish to fish, not take time out for photos. Just me though..... it happens when us guys get fat, old and mugly. lol

 

Mine wind up looking like this St Johns River bass... as I am wondering gee, I'm missing out on another bass in that boiling water! Back to fishin'!

 

 

I'm heading to the sushi bar.

 

-----------ADDED

 

Curious if anyone notices that the bass in my photo here has a different body shape than other bass in this thread?

@FloridaFishinFool, ha! I’d have to sell two houses to buy all that sushi, my arteries are all clear 

1 hour ago, Mike L said:

I don’t see the problem as I never thought you “Struggle with photography”

 

My struggle is finding a way to take a pic that isn't flawed. Yeah, I post a lot of lip and grips with pretty backgrounds, but they come with no size-context. I like @GreenPig's trick of keeping the lure in the mouth. And @scaleface can sure compose a sweet shot! 

 

1 hour ago, FloridaFishinFool said:

Curious if anyone notices that the bass in my photo here has a different body shape than other bass in this thread?

 

Yeah, bass do vary in body shape and I notice that again and again. 

I used to struggle trying to take good selfie fish photos from my personal pontoon the same way you have. My solution was to first buy a “donkey leash”. It attaches to your canoe, and then to the fish so he can stay in the water until you are ready to take his picture. I use a lightweight camera mount on an arm also attached to my watercraft which is pushed out of the way until needed. My camera has a front facing view finder so I can see if the picture is composed where I want, then grab the fish and hit the self timer. 
 

The donkey leash

 

Ram camera mount
 

 

Results

 

@Scott F: That's a sweet setup, but wouldn't work in the weeds and wood that I fish. 

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

My struggle is finding a way to take a pic that isn't flawed.

I think just about all fish pics are flawed. By focusing on one aspect (the fish, the angler, the size, the color, the environment, etc.), you inherently detract from the others. Plus, half the time, we’re dealing with poor light conditions that make great shots difficult. Trout anglers (like what you posted) go out of their way to get artsy/fancy shots. Bass anglers…not so much. Just put the fish on the ground next to your shoe and ‘click.’ 😏

"GoPro, take picture."

 

My GoPro is voice activated. I have a battery box to power all of my accessories (FFS black box, 2 head units, 3 transducers, bow lights, deck lights, heading indicator, keypad for my wiring harness, and a dual USB port). That USB port is where I plug in my GoPro. This way I can keep my GoPro powered all day. My GoPro is mounted to a Yak Attack pole off the tank well in the stern,.

 

So I can simply tell my GoPro to start and stop recording or take a picture.

 

"But Koz, you never post any videos or pictures here."

 

Yeah, I know. I rarely mount my GoPro and when I do bring it I usually forget it's there. One of my resolutions for 2026 will be to take photos and video.

I'm still trying to figure out how make this one look right.

This is what happens when ones head belongs in a Macy's Day Parade.

🙃

A-Jay

I said it in one of your report threads, but since this thread title is searchable I'll put the same info here.

 

I'm with you that I don't want the fish out of the water as much as possible.  10 seconds for a quick snap and be done with it.  My net works to leave them in the net in the water while I grab my phone and pull up the camera.  So all that's left is how to hold them.  I also don't care enough about the pictures where I'm going to set up something additional that I don't already have.  I love AJay's setup for landing fish and getting pictures- super slick.  That's just more than I want to do so my phone sitting in the console cupholder next to the seat where I land fish is about as much as I'm putting into it.

 

I've come to prefer the hand behind the fish's head.  You can hold them out an arm length so that your phone doesn't have to zoom out to a weird perspective.  You aren't stressing the jaw by holding them at 90 degrees, and you have your hand and arm for perspective.  Looking through the below pics, you can tell which fish are bigger and which are smaller based on how much of my hand you can see and where my hand wraps under the chin.  If my pinkie finger is down past the end of the gill plate, you know it was a tough day of fishing and I'm taking pictures of the little ones.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I fish solo sometimes and can struggle to take a decent action photo.  Inspired by @Jar11591 and @GreenPig, I bought a phone clamp that attaches to my wind shield last year.  It's still a work in progress but I'm getting better with it.

 

I also prefer laying the fish on a bump board to show its size.  There is no disputing it.  My board is white with black numbers for maximum clarity.

 

The real challenge is when I catch a more sizable fish like a muskie or plus sized northern pike.  Taking a decent photo of one by myself is a real challenge.

 

I've tried getting my dog to take photos but she doesn't have any thumbs. 🤷‍♂️

My first deg was fine arts with an emphasis on photography. 
 

my new move is to not include my own face.

 

you have all seen my efforts. I’ll spare you any repeats. 

2 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

 

Yeah, bass do vary in body shape and I notice that again and again. 

 

I pointed it out this time because I wanted to bring up a point about bass and their environment.

 

Bass who live their entire lives in lakes and ponds with no current, or little to no current do not have to fight the current every day to survive. Those fish tend to get lazy in my opinion. I can catch some lake bass and some of them just do not put up much of a fight. Some roll over and come in like a sled. Just no fight to them. I call them lazy lake bass. And their skin looks kind of loose covering their innerds and they got a big old belly like me.

 

But, out on the St. Johns river South of Lake Harney is a different story. South of Lake Harney the river is narrower and more shallow and has a strong current.

 

Bass in that environment have to fight that current every day of their lives. Those bass get strong and mean. When the LGM bass was given the nickname the brawler, it was referring to those St Johns River bass South of Harney. They are not the same further north where the river widens out and current slows down like where the Elite series does their tournaments in Palatka 100 miles to north. Fat lazy bass up there too.

 

But way down South on that river is where the brawlers live. When you hook into one of those bass the fight is on. Not only are the fish more aggressive and meaner it seems, but you have a strong current to fight along with the fish.

 

If you notice the shape of the bass in my photo above, the skin is tight. No belly on that bass. Straight belly. That bass is the Hulk Hogan of bass. That river makes those fish more muscular. Stronger. Leaner. Meaner. Best bass fishing on the planet. Even old Scott Martin agrees when he recently said the St. Johns river is Florida's best bass fishery.

 

I think the skin on my bass shown above is tighter on the innerds because that fish is more muscular.

 

And out there on that river South of Harney, the fight is not only better, but longer too. Those mean Hulkster bass out there ain't playin'.

 

But be aware, to go out there you gotta have boats that can go real shallow. Most bass boats won't cut it because of sandbars they can't cross. And bring plenty of water, food, and supplies like you were going camping because you will be miles from the nearest roads, nearest houses. Nothing but jungle out there so be prepared if you go.

 

Swamp Girl I think that is what makes the bodies of the bass look so different. Not the genes, but the environment in which they live makes that difference. I could be wrong. Won't be the first time.